Over the past year, Finn and Elliot have been giving presentations in schools where they live in Spain, teaching young people about lions and promoting the Kevin Richardson Foundation. We turned around to the safety of our camp, eagerly awaiting the next day’s visit to the sanctuary.”, Finn: “We arrived in plenty of time and were promptly met at the sanctuary’s gate by Taheer, one of the rangers. Kevin Richardson, the lion whisperer, is one of the most well-known lion conservationists in the world. However, even she acknowledges the risks involved in Richardson’s controversial style of handling the animals, especially the dangerous predators. South Africa - Kevin Richardson Wildlife Sanctuary +13. Richardson with grown up Tau and Napoleon. I remember being slightly jealous of Kevin wrestling and swimming with lions. And so, in March of this year, we flew to South Africa to learn about endangered species. As a follower of Kevin, you can expect to see astounding footage of him caring for animals, forging an unbreakable bond of trust between himself and the carnivores. In this Wednesday March 15, 2017 file photo, Kevin Richardson, known as the “lion whisperer”, takes two of his lions for a walk in the Dinokeng Game Reserve, near Pretoria, South Africa. You can also get involved in his latest attempts to stop animal cruelty or prevent unnecessary loss of life. Sipping some cold water, we saw a black SUV approaching. Here, you could have the opportunity to witness roaming wild animals in the reserve whilst remaining in the luxury tranquil environment of the tents. var notice = document.getElementById("cptch_time_limit_notice_82"); Time limit is exhausted. As a devoted animal behaviourist, Kevin donates his time and extensive efforts to caring for endangered native animals in South Africa. With the help of Rodney Fuhr, Richardson previously managed a special facility called the “Kingdom of the White Lion” in Broederstroom, which is an 800 hectors park. He cared for more than 26 lions, many hyenas, leopards and other animals even though he had little help. Kevin plans to finish setting up The Kevin Richardson Foundation this year, as well as expanding on The Lion Whisperer TV YouTube channel, which has gained popularity over the last year with over 360,000 subscribers. And yes! Thankfully, we have parents who support our cause and were willing to organize a trip to Africa for us. Are you? Taheer casually said, “Ah, that must be Kevin coming to meet you.” We all felt a pang of nervous excitement. timeout By volunteering at his sanctuary, you will have the opportunity to directly experience the work that he … Our plan was to spend a few days in a game reserve with an expert safari guide, tour the Kevin Richardson Sanctuary and visit the Endangered Species Centre. With their original plan of staying in a cave extinguished with the cold, they resorted to camping in the cold for the night. When he turned 23, the Lion Park offered him a rare opportunity to work with two, six months old lion cubs, “Tau and Napoleon.”. IN THE NORTH GAUTENG HIGH COURT, PRETORIA [REPUBLIC OF SOUTH AFRICA] CASE NUMBER: 67943/ 2015. His relationships with animals, and lions especially, are famous worldwide – it’s easy to see how The Lion Whisperer earned his name. We sent the proceeds to the Kevin Richardson Foundation and were rewarded with an Insta Shoutout from Kevin in which he thanked us for our contribution. From setting up his own wildlife holiday camp to ensuring the safety of wildlife animals in the South African plains, Kevin leads a busy life. Richardson had a gift for interacting with all sorts of animals. Celebrities attend Premiere Of Gravitas Ventures ... Kevin Richardson Mandy Richardson. However, hearing Kevin talk about the challenges wild cats face, I realized there was more to it than just a game of footie with lions. However, when I was on stage and talking about lions, wildlife conservation and Kevin’s role in this, I realized that our fellow students were actually interested to hear what we had to say. This year, they got the opportunity to travel to Africa and meet Kevin, as well as squeeze in some other crazy adventures. After the ordeal is over, Kevin expresses his relief and he says: “No one wants to see their baby suffering… it tugs on the heart strings.”, As if setting up a lion and wildlife sanctuary is not enough, Kevin is constantly on the go making new plans.

At the age of sixteen, through Stan Schmidt, he was introduced to the world of zoology where he started on the path in becoming a “self-taught zoologist.”  However, after pursuing 2 years of zoology in university, he quit the course and started lessons in marine biology which also ended unsuccessfully. setTimeout( I learned about the challenges lions face and this really made an impact. Having climbed to the top of the Organ Pipes – a pass in Drakensburg fit for climbing, hiking and mountaineering – the unwieldy weather evoked a snow storm, resulting in both him and his friends having to camp on top of the mountain. I ain’t gonna lie, it was nerve-racking to walk onto that stage. Kevin asked us to try new things, find new ways to engage people, be creative, never boring – do whatever it takes to get people fired up! We made flash cards and practiced giving the presentation to our families and friends. As a popular social media influencer, The Lion Whisperer keeps his fans up to date with his latest work predominantly through his YouTube channel, but also through his active presence on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook. Only then did Richardson realize the plight of the captive lions. Deterred by his failures, Richardson lost hope in having a career in working with animals and hence he started a career in physiotherapy while working with animals at the Lion Park as a pastime. Born on 8 October 1974 in the Nightingale Clinic in Johannesburg, South Africa, Kevin Richardson is the youngest of four children. Here is their story. Time limit is exhausted. Image Source. She helps Richardson gather support and funding for his cause of protecting the wild animals. We were going to meet Kevin!!! PDF format. At the very age of 22, Richardson became the star wrangler at the Lion Park, which is basically a zoo where his antics with the animals was a hit among the audience. An opportunity in meeting the owner of Lion Park, Rodney Fuhr, led to Richardson volunteering and spending more time with the captive animals there.

four We got to meet the lions in real life! ×  ... Kevin Richardson Mandy Richardson. Richardson and Another v Minister of South African Police Services and Others (67943/ 2015) [2015] ZAGPPHC 1064 (16 October 2015) ... Download original files. if ( notice ) Kevin Richardson and his family. When he was 3 years old, his dad helped him rear an injured baby bird which had fallen out of its nest. }, DATE: 16 OCTOBER 2015. Through education, awareness and funding, Kevin is striving to prevent the rapid decline of large carnivores in Africa. Finally, in 2013, with the help of numerous donors, he was able to establish “The Kevin Richardson Wildlife Sanctuary” in Welgedacht Game Reserve, South Africa. Please reload the CAPTCHA. We learned so much during our stay in Africa, and we now feel ready to shake things up and lead the way in educating our peers on this important cause.”. We were very lucky to spend time with Rodney Nombekana, a big cat specialist and ambassador for the Foundation, who worked side by side with Kevin for more than a decade.